Dragon Quest 11 set for shock PS4 and 3DS release

29 Jul 2015

The 11th instalment of the hugely popular Dragon Quest series is set to be bigger than ever, with its release onto two major consoles, rather than just the one, a departure from the norm.

During a live-streamed announcement, Square Enix showed the game working on the Playstation 4, before opening up a 3DS, revealing an alternative way to play the game.

What’s notable about releasing across multiple platforms is the fact that, previously, Dragon Quest games were released onto whatever the most popular console of the time was, swapping between Nintendo and Sony in the past.

The two versions showcased in the livestream were markedly different, which, given the disparity in power between the PS4 and the 3DS, is understandable.

While the PS4 display had all the standard hallmarks of a graphic-heavy RPG game on a console, the 3DS was completely stripped down, with two views (one on each tablet) giving users the option to watch in either 2D or 3D.

Interestingly, the interactions in the game can be on either screen on the 3DS, with users choosing between the analog and D-pad controls to determine which way you want to watch.

There’s no release date on the game, similar to a certain third platform which the game may appear on, the NX.

Rumours circulated that Nintendo’s new device could hit the shops next summer, but that timeframe seemed suspiciously early, as Forbes reported back in May.

It was initially thought that Quest 11 would be an NX release but Square Ennix moved to clarify that, saying it is merely “under consideration” in a statement to Gamespot.

As for Quest 11, Gamespot suggests next year will most likely be the release date, given that the company’s 30th anniversary falls then.

Main image via Jeremy G. on Flickr

Gordon Hunt was a journalist with Silicon Republic

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